


(Not) Just A Celebrity Crush

by SilverMoonSky



Series: Ladrien June 2020 [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste Is Sunshine, Adrien Agreste Never Went to Public School, Alternate Universe - No Miraculous, F/M, Ladrien June, Ladrien June 2020, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Is So Done, Matchmakers Alya Césaire & Nino Lahiffe, Online Friendship, Texting, aka Ladybug and Chat Noir are both gamers in this AU, and Adrien helps her, and he and Marinette technically never met, but anyways basically Ladrien fluff yeet, but he knows Nino because he snuck out a lot and met him, but she texts him using the name Ladybug, in which Mari texts Adrien to help her with physics because Alya and Nino insisted, kind of, with physics lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:49:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24533338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMoonSky/pseuds/SilverMoonSky
Summary: In which Marinette is struggling with physics, Alya is determined to get her best friend to ask out her celebrity crush, Nino wants to set up his best friend up with the gamer Ladybug, and Adrien is just a lovestruck idiot.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Ladrien June 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770316
Comments: 36
Kudos: 71





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Marinette finds herself a physics tutor.
> 
> Written for Day 3: Comfort for Ladrien June.

“Physics suck,” Marinette groaned, slumping in her chair and slamming her pencil on her desk. “It’s so stupid! I’m going to be a fashion designer! Why do  _ I _ need to learn physics?”

Alya’s laugh rang clearly through the FaceTime call. “Girl, you should really get a tutor or something.” They were both currently in their respective bedrooms, and Marinette had her phone propped up on her desk so she could talk to Alya and work on her homework at the same time.

“No thanks,” she said, making a face. The last time she’d had a tutor hadn’t exactly been a pleasant experience. “It’s not that I’m failing, but my grade isn’t that great either.”

Her best friend hummed in agreement. Alya’s lips were pursed and she had a contemplative smile on her face, as if she was thinking about something. Marinette narrowed her eyes. She could already see where this was going.

“What’s on your mind?”

“But do you know who  _ is _ good at physics?”

“Who?”

“Adrien Agreste,” Alya said slyly.

Marinette’s cheeks instantly stained pink. “Alya!”

“I’m just saying. Nino says that Adrien’s the reason he’s not failing the class right now. And apparently,” she added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively, “he’s a really good teacher too.”

“If you think I’m going to ask Adrien Agreste to tutor me in physics, you’re unfortunately very wrong.”

“But Mari, come on! This could be your chance to woo him. How else will you end up with that house, the three kids, and the hamster named—”

“That was a joke, Alya!” Marinette exclaimed, blushing harder. Ugh. She knew she’d regret telling Alya about her celebrity crush some day. But how could she  _ not _ like him? He was not only the son of her favorite fashion designer, but he was also a model—and a  _ really _ good looking one at that. From what little Nino had told her, Marinette knew he was a kind, sweet boy that loved anime and video games.

That was where she drew the line. Yeah, she had a couple of pictures of him in her room and had had several fantasies about a future with him, but Marinette never thought of him as more than a simple celebrity crush who happened to be friends with her best friend’s boyfriend. That was that.

“And maybe it could become a reality,” Alya insisted.

“No,” she said. “I’m not going to ask Adrien for help with physics. I barely know him! I’ve met him like once, at Nino’s birthday party last year, and all I did was stumble and stutter around him the entire evening.”

“Well, Nino and I do try to get you guys to hang out with us, but your schedules never match up.”

“True. But  _ also, _ ” Marinette added, “even if by some miracle Adrien and I ended up getting to know each other and started to like each other as more than friends, I can’t date him anyways.”

Alya gaped at her. “What! Why?”

“Because I want to be a fashion designer, and obviously if I date Gabriel Agreste’s son, people are going to accuse me of using connections to get into the fashion industry. And I don’t want that.”

“Damn, girl.” She let out a low whistle. “You’re the only person I know that would turn down Adrien Agreste to pursue your career.”

“Wouldn’t you do the same thing?” Marinette asked, raising an eyebrow. “You have Nino.”

“Oh no,” Alya said with a grin, “if a model as hot as him asked me out, I’d obviously have to dump Nino.”

“So cruel. Looks like I’ll have to take Nino for myself when that happens,” she teased.

“He’d understand,” Alya said, and the two of them kept straight faces for not even two seconds before they both burst out laughing.

“Anyways,” Marinette said once their laughing fit had died down, “I should probably get back to studying.”

The brunette nodded. “You do that. Don’t you have a test tomorrow?”

“Yup.” She sighed and looked down at her homework. “Quiz me.”

“I am so glad I don’t take physics this year,” Alya muttered as Marinette sent her the material so she could quiz her. “Okay, so. . . .”

* * *

This was bad. Day later, sitting in physics class with Nino at her side, Marinette stared at her test paper with nothing but sheer horror.

“What’d you get?” Nino asked, nudging her side as the teacher continued to pass the papers back.

“Bad enough that my parents are definitely going to be banning me from video games for a while,” she said, showing him her paper.

His eyes widened. “That’s—”

“Terrible, I know.” Marinette groaned. “And before you say anything, no, none of your reassurance is going to comfort me.”

Nino frowned. “Sorry, Mari.”

“I think I seriously need to start looking for a tutor or something.”

“You know, you could always ask Adrien,” he said. “He helps me with physics all the time. Like seriously, the dude’s insanely smart.”

“Did Alya put you up to this?” Marinette asked suspiciously. “Because she said the exact same thing.”

“Great minds think alike.”

“Great minds  _ matchmake _ alike,” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

Marinette sighed. “Nothing. But anyways, I wouldn’t want to bother him. He’s probably very busy.”

“Trust me, Adrien  _ loves _ company,” Nino said. “In fact, he’s been dying to meet this gamer named ‘Ladybug’ that I casually mentioned I knew.” He grinned at her.

She squeaked, a blush spreading across her cheeks. “R-really?”

“Yeah. If you want, I could give you his number.”

Marinette bit her lip to keep the  _ yes _ from tumbling out of her mouth. As much as it would be cool to be tutored by Adrien, she didn’t want to bother him. That, and she was one hundred percent sure that if she  _ did  _ ask him for help, she’d be paying more attention to  _ him _ than she would to the physics.

“Nah, I’m good, but thanks for the offer.”

“Okay,” Nino said, turning back to pay attention to the class once the teacher had finished handing back out the tests. “Just let me know if you ever change your mind.”

Oh, she  _ definitely  _ wasn’t going to be changing her mind anytime soon.

* * *

Adrien was once again up late and binging some anime when his phone pinged with a text. He frowned. Normally Nino was the only one that texted him this late, but one look at his phone told him that it was from an unknown number.

**[Unknown Number]: Hey, is this Adrien Agreste?**

**[Adrien]: Yes. Who is this?**

**[Unknown Number]: Nino gave me your number. Are you busy?**

He instantly relaxed. He’d been wary that some fan might’ve somehow gotten their hands on his personal number, but if Nino had given it out, that meant this was someone he should trust. After all, his best friend respected his privacy. He wouldn’t just give his number out to anyone.

**[Adrien]: No, I’m free. Do you need help with something?**

**[Unknown Number]: Yeah, if you don’t mind, I was wondering if you could help me with physics.**

**[Adrien]: Sure, I can do that! What specifically do you need help with?**

**[Unknown Number]: Can I send you a few pictures of problems I need help with?**

**[Adrien]: That’s fine, go ahead :)**

It was about ten at night, Adrien was helping a random stranger with their physics homework, and his binge-watching fest had been abandoned in order to help his best friend’s friend. But he didn’t really mind. As the minutes ticked by, he found himself immersed in the problems and helping whoever it was on the other side of the screen. They seemed nice, always checking to make sure he was okay with helping and asking thoughtful questions. It was definitely quite a change from Nino, who was always groaning about not understanding a single thing.

But suddenly, about halfway through working through a problem, something occurred to him.

**[Adrien]: Wait, I never got your name.**

That was quite suspicious, now that he thought about it. What if he’d been wrong? What if this  _ was _ a fangirl? What if—

**[Unknown Number]: Well, I guess you can call me Ladybug.**

Adrien’s jaw dropped, his phone nearly falling out of his hands as he processed the information. Wait. So Nino  _ hadn’t  _ been kidding when he said he knew Ladybug?!

**[Adrien]: You’re one of the top players on UMS III, right?**

Actually, Ladybug was  _ the  _ top player. She also happened to be the girl he kind-of-sort-of had a massive crush on and played against as Chat Noir several times a week. The one who constantly rejected his flirting, hated his puns, and apparently, was also so terrible at physics that she needed  _ his  _ help.  _ Chat Noir’s _ help.

**[Unknown Number]: Yes, that’s me.**

Oh, no. He felt a tentative blush creeping up his neck as he realized what just happened, who he’d just been talking to, and exactly what exactly he’d gotten himself into.

Great. He was screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A multi-chaptered fic for Ladrien June! I'm estimating about 8 chapters right now, but I don't have much of an outline yet. This will definitely be finished before July though. Hope you enjoyed! :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Nino can be adequately summed up as a matchmaker™.
> 
> Written for Day 6: Surprise visit for Ladrien June.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the name of this fic because I feel like this one suits it better; the other one was just something I'd come up with in the spur of the moment.

Marinette had finally caved in to get Adrien to tutor her days after she saw the horrid grade on her physics test. Alya had pestered her, Nino had pestered her, and she was sure if Adrien knew her well enough,  _ he _ would’ve pestered her too. It was only when it was nearly ten at night, she hadn’t been able to play Ultimate Mecha Strike III for nearly a week (Chat Noir had been sorely disappointed when she’d told him her parents had banned her from the video game until she got her grade up), and had yet another quiz the next day that she asked Nino for Adrien’s number.

**[Marinette]: Hey Nino, could you give me Adrien’s number?**

**[Nino]: Ah, I see you’ve finally caved in.**

**[Marinette]: That’s only because we have that quiz tomorrow.** **_Not_ ** **because everyone’s been pestering me about it.**

**[Nino]: Sure, and your secret celebrity crush definitely has nothing to do with it.**

**[Marinette]: Who told you about that?!**

**[Nino]: I have my ways.**

**[Marinette]: It was Alya, wasn’t it?**

**[Nino]: Why would you ever think that?? Of course not!!**

**[Marinette]: Has anyone ever told you you’re a terrible liar, Lahiffe?**

**[Nino]: You are too, Nette.**

**[Marinette]: …**

**[Marinette]: Touché.**

Pretty soon, Nino had given her Adrien’s number, but before she texted him, Marinette had another thought.

**[Marinette]: If Adrien asks, don’t tell him my real name.**

**[Nino]: ??**

**[Nino]: Why??**

**[Marinette]: You’ve mentioned me before as your fashion designer friend, right?**

**[Nino]: Yeah…**

**[Marinette]: I don’t want him to think I’m just using him for his fashion connections or am one of his crazy fangirls.**

**[Nino]: Adrien would never think of you like that, dudette.**

**[Nino]: Trust me. He wouldn’t.**

**[Marinette]: It’s just to be safe. I don’t want to ruin anything for myself before I even get into the fashion industry.**

**[Nino]: So you’re not going to tell him your name at all?**

**[Marinette]: Well… I was actually thinking of telling him that I was Ladybug? Because he doesn’t know that’s actually me.**

**[Nino]: Oooh, smart.**

**[Marinette]: Is that a good idea?**

**[Nino]: It totally is, dude! My man** **_loves_ ** **UMS III.**

**[Marinette]: Really?**

**[Nino]: Yup. You’re going to make him fall head-over-heels for you in no time, Nette.**

**[Marinette]: Nino, no.**

**[Nino]: Nino, yes ;)**

**[Marinette]: Stop.**

**[Nino]: :(((**

After the reassurance that Nino wouldn’t tell Adrien her name, Marinette found herself putting Adrien’s number into her phone and getting ready to text him. She bit her lip. She didn’t want to take advantage of his kindness, but she had to admit that she really  _ did _ need the help. Her grade was suffering. If she didn’t get it up before the end of the semester, there was no doubt her parents would ban her from playing Ultimate Mecha Strike for the rest of her life. Then she’d never be able to play with Chat Noir again, which would disappoint  _ him  _ too.

With that train of thought, she quickly saved Adrien’s number in her contacts and thumbed out a message. Marinette sighed as she saw the three dots at the bottom, signifying he was typing back.

Alya was going to have a field day when she found out what her best friend had just done.

* * *

Adrien was screwed.

**[Adrien]: You’re one of the top players on UMS III, right?**

**[Unknown Number]: Yes, that’s me.**

Somehow, by some miracle,  _ Ladybug _ was asking him for physics help. Ladybug! The girl he played UMS III with several times a week, the girl who was adamant on keeping her gaming identity private from her civilian life (which was why despite Chat Noir begging her, she was always against the idea of meeting in real life), and the same girl he’d somehow developed a major crush on.

Whenever Adrien would gush about Ladybug to Nino, his best friend would jokingly tell him that he knew her. At least, he  _ thought _ he’d been joking. But apparently not. Nino was perfectly aware of his gamer identity as Chat Noir  _ and _ his feelings for her. Which meant—

Wait. So had this been a setup? Was Nino just  _ trying _ to get him to embarrass himself?

Great. Adrien made a mental note in his head to murder his best friend the next time he saw him.

After a brief conversation about the video game, about half an hour later he was officially done with helping Ladybug with her physics work. But he didn’t want to leave just yet. There was so much he wanted to say to her; to ask her about her family, to get to know her more, to perhaps someday meet her in real life. . . .

**[Unknown Number]: Thank you, Adrien. You were really helpful.**

Adrien had to stifle a laugh. He couldn’t recall the last time Ladybug had ever texted Chat Noir like this. With all the puns and the banter and the “I’ll throw you off the Eiffel Tower” threats, the two of them had never had an air of formality between them.

But he supposed this was different. After all, as far as he knew, Ladybug didn’t know him as any more than a model and the face of a brand. They had a mutual friend, and that was it. There was no other connection between the two.

**[Adrien]: I’m glad I could help! If you have trouble with anything, feel free to ask :)**

**[Unknown Number]: I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.**

The conversation was coming to an end. Adrien racked his brain for other things he could say to her. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind, and they ended up leaving it at that. He had been about to ask her why she didn’t give him her real name, but decided against it. He didn’t want to drive her away before they could even get to know each other. That is, if she even wanted to. What if she never texted him again? What if she didn’t like him? What if she decided to get herself a physics tutor and didn’t need his help anymore?

Without stopping to think about whether or not he was dramatizing things, he instantly pulled out his phone. It was almost midnight, but knowing Nino, he was probably still awake.

**[Adrien]: Why didn’t you tell me you gave Ladybug my number?**

**[Nino]: So she texted you? How did it go?**

**[Adrien]: Don’t avoid the question.**

**[Nino]: She needed help with physics, and I figured you’d be willing to help her, ’cause you know.**

**[Adrien]: Seriously? I thought you were joking when you said you knew Ladybug!**

**[Nino]: Dude.**

**[Nino]: I’ve been literally telling you I know her every single time you started to gush over her.**

**[Adrien]: Like I said, I thought you were joking.**

**[Nino]: It’s not my fault you can’t think about anything else when you’re talking about her.**

**[Adrien]: Shut up. You were no better when it came to Alya.**

**[Nino]: But you’re not dating Ladybug.**

**[Adrien]: Whatever.**

**[Adrien]: How do you even know her anyways?**

**[Nino]: We’re childhood friends.**

**[Adrien]: Do you go to lycée together?**

**[Nino]: I can see where this is going and all I can say is that I’m not telling you who she is.**

**[Adrien]: Awww, why?**

**[Nino]: She asked me not to.**

**[Nino]: She thinks you’ll get the wrong impression.**

**[Adrien]: The wrong impression?**

**[Nino]: Yeah. Not really supposed to tell you this, but she’s into fashion and doesn’t want you to think she’s using you for your connections.**

**[Adrien]: What? Of course I wouldn’t think that!**

**[Nino]: That’s what I told her.**

**[Adrien]: Oh.**

**[Adrien]: Wait. Did you tell her I’m Chat Noir??**

**[Nino]: No. Why, do you want me to? Because I totally could.**

**[Adrien]: No!**

**[Nino]: Why?**

Why  _ didn’t _ he want to tell her that he was Chat Noir yet? Surely it would make things a lot less awkward between them, right? Perhaps if she knew that they were closer in real life than she’d originally thought, she would want to meet up. And yet. . . .

Maybe  _ this _ would be the way to woo her. Maybe Ladybug would be more interested in his civilian self than Chat Noir. Perhaps if he played his cards right, he could somehow get her to fall for him, and  _ then _ he could reveal himself as Chat Noir.

**[Adrien]: Maybe she’ll like the real me more than gamer me.**

**[Nino]: Dude, you’ve got it bad, you know that?**

**[Adrien]: Just tell her if she needs any physics help, all she has to do is ask.**

**[Nino]: What am I, a matchmaker?**

**[Adrien]: You wouldn’t turn down the opportunity to help your single best friend get a girlfriend, would you?**

**[Nino]: That depends. On whether or not you’d be willing to eat a banana.**

**[Adrien]: I’m going to murder you.**

**[Nino]: What?**

**[Adrien]: You know how much I hate bananas.**

**[Nino]: Dude, you have such an irrational fear.**

**[Adrien]: If you make me eat one I swear I’ll pay you a surprise visit in the middle of the night and murder you in your sleep.**

**[Nino]: You wouldn’t do that.**

**[Adrien]: Watch me.**

They continued to text for a little while longer before they both agreed it was getting late. Adrien finally put down his phone and checked the time. It was now half past midnight. He was just about to flop onto his bed and get some sleep when he realized something. He grabbed his phone _ — _ for  the last time, he told himself _ — _ and went back to the text conversation he’d had earlier that day, pulling up the contact information and saving the number under the name Ladybug.

That night, Adrien drifted to sleep with a smile on his face as he dreamed of the days to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I don’t usually write Nino, but when I do it’s always a lot of fun. He’s such an underrated character. I love exploring his childhood friendship with Mari, and Adrien and Nino honestly have the best bromance in the entire show, lol. He knows _everything,_ but unlike Alya, Nino knows when not to meddle.
> 
> Not much Ladrien this chapter, but there will be more in the next one! Hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Adrien and Ladybug talk, and Marinette has a freak-out session with Alya.
> 
> Written for Day 10: Shower for Ladrien June.

It had been two days, and Ladybug hadn’t texted him at all.

Adrien wasn’t anxious. No, he wasn’t worried at all. Of course Ladybug didn't text him; she didn’t even know him that well! Besides, it was a Saturday. It wasn’t like she’d _need_ his help with physics today anyways. It was completely okay! Things were just fine, he didn’t have to—

**[Adrien]: So… why Ladybug?**

The decision to text her was a hasty one. After agonizing over what he could possibly say—after all, she most certainly wouldn’t expect him to text her, considering she’d been the one to contact him first—that had been the first thing to come to mind. Adrien watched the screen for a solid two minutes, hoping to see the three dots at the bottom that would signify she was typing. Unfortunately, they didn’t appear.

He sighed. Perhaps that hadn’t been the best move after all. Was he being desperate? If he asked Nino, his best friend would probably say yes. And yet he couldn’t help it, because this could be his only way to woo her. Ladybug kept rejecting Chat Noir’s advances; Adrien was holding out on the hope that perhaps she’d like his civilian self more. It wouldn’t hurt to try, right?

His phone suddenly pinged with a text notification. He quickly reached over and grabbed it.

**[Ladybug]: What do you mean?**

**[Adrien]: Your screenname. Why is it Ladybug?**

Surprisingly, Adrien actually had no idea what the answer to this question was. He’d never bothered to ask her about the origin of her username. He and Ladybug never talked much about their personal lives when they were competing against each other (well, he tried, but she always shot him down), so this would be quite interesting.

**[Ladybug]: Oh. I actually have a cat. I found her in an alleyway a couple of years ago, and when I found her, she had a ladybug charm on her collar. Since then it’s just stuck. A ladybug symbolizes luck, and I like to think I was lucky when I found her.**

**[Adrien]: Awww that’s so sweet! What’s her name?**

**[Ladybug]: Her name’s Tikki.**

**[Adrien]: That’s a nice name. I have a cat too, actually. His name is Plagg. He’s too lazy for his own good and only eats cheese.**

**[Ladybug]: Cheese? Isn’t that bad for a cat?**

**[Adrien]: Pretty sure it is, but somehow he manages it. I don’t even know how.**

**[Ladybug]: Haha. Tikki likes cookies. I know cats can’t taste sweet things, but I think she secretly has a sweet tooth or something.**

**[Adrien]: Do you think you’d be able to send a picture? I’d love to see her.**

**[Ladybug]: Sure.**

**[Ladybug]:** **_[image_attachment_1]_ **

**[Adrien]: She’s so cute!! Here’s Plagg:**

**[Adrien]:** **_[image_attachment_2]_ **

**[Ladybug]: Omg he’s adorable!**

**[Adrien]: You would think that, but trust me, he’s not.**

**[Ladybug]: I just showed Tikki a picture of Plagg and it seems like she wants to meet him.**

**[Adrien]: Oh that would be cool! We should totally let them meet someday.**

As soon as he sent the text, Adrien wanted to smack himself. What had he been thinking? If Ladybug was so adamant on not telling him who she really was, he should let her be. He shouldn’t try to convince her otherwise, and he certainly shouldn’t be suggesting actually meeting _in person_ sometime. She’d start thinking he was desperate, technically he barely knew her, and—

**[Ladybug]: Maybe.**

Wait.

_What?!_

Her answer to Chat Noir usually was something along the lines of, _haha, you wish kitty._ Granted, he usually asked in a much more flirtatious, silly manner, but still. The fact that she’d be more willing to meet _Adrien Agreste_ , a guy she barely knew, as opposed to her gaming partner seemed promising.

Huh. Maybe this hadn’t been such a bad idea after all.

Silence stretched between them, and a minute passed. When Adrien didn’t see her typing, he decided to jump in and change the subject.

**[Adrien]: Anyways, I was wondering how you did on your physics quiz? Nino mentioned you two were in the same class.**

**[Ladybug]: You helped a lot, actually! I did better on the quiz thanks to your help.**

**[Adrien]: I’m happy to hear that!**

His heart instantly sank. Did that mean that him helping her was a one time thing? Did this mean she’d never seek out his help again?

**[Adrien]: If you don’t mind me asking, how’s your overall physics grade?**

**[Ladybug]: It’s… not the best.**

**[Adrien]: Oh.**

**[Ladybug]: It’s a passable grade, so I’m not failing, but it’s not great.**

**[Ladybug]: My parents have been restricting my video gaming time until I get my grade up.**

Oh yes, Adrien knew that perfectly well. Chat Noir had been sorely disappointed to learn that Ladybug wouldn’t be playing as much. As a result, he’d had to play with other players, but it hadn’t been the same. There was a reason Ladybug was the top player in Paris. No one could give him a challenge as well as she could, and if it were up to him, he definitely wanted her playing again as soon as possible.

**[Adrien]: That sucks.**

**[Ladybug]: I know. I understand why they’re doing it, though. My grade isn’t going to get any better if I don’t study enough.**

**[Adrien]: If you need anything, I’d be happy to help :)**

**[Ladybug]: That’s a nice offer, but I wouldn’t want to bother you.**

**[Adrien]: Oh no, it wouldn’t be bothering me! Trust me, I don’t mind.**

Adrien _definitely_ wouldn’t mind, for several reasons. One, he sometimes stayed up late to play UMS III with Ladybug anyways. This wouldn’t be too much different. Two, he’d be helping the love of—er, his crush. This enabled him to spend more time with her. And three, if doing so meant getting her to play more often, then by all means, he was more than happy to help.

**[Ladybug]: Nino mentioned you’d be happy to help, but I don’t want to draw you away from your other responsibilities.**

Oh. Well, he could see her reasoning there. It made sense; Nino was often worried of doing the exact same thing, but they’d figured out a schedule of the sort to help.

Wait.

_A schedule. . . ._

**[Adrien]: I have an idea.**

**[Adrien]: What if we created a schedule? A schedule could help you study, right? I’ll help you on those specific days, so you don’t feel like you’re contacting me out of the blue.**

**[Ladybug]: That’s not a bad idea.**

Hope rose up within him. Now that he’d gotten her “approval,” he plowed on.

**[Adrien]: And if you don’t want to, you don’t have to contact me out of the scheduled times at all. I’ll be perfectly happy to help you as it is :)**

Seconds ticked by. Ladybug didn’t respond, and Adrien’s heart started to race. Maybe she’d changed her mind and thought it wasn’t a good idea after all. Perhaps she thought he was being too friendly and forward. Or maybe she just didn’t like him and her impression of “Adrien Agreste” had been tainted by actually interacting with him. The more seconds that went by, the more anxious he got, until he finally saw the three dots at the bottom.

**[Ladybug]: I’m going to be honest. It feels like I’m taking advantage of your kindness.**

**[Adrien]: No it’s not! Trust me. I love the new company. You’re not bothering me at all.**

More silence on her end. He bit his lip. Had he come off as too strong? Was she starting to regret ever contacting him?

Two minutes later, the reply finally came.

**[Ladybug]: Thank you, Adrien. I’ll consider it.**

**[Adrien]: Okay, just let me know! :)**

**[Ladybug]: :)**

Well then. Adrien supposed that was a win. He’d just have to text Nino and beg him to convince her.

* * *

Alya picked up the voice call on the second ring.

“I need your help!” Marinette immediately blurted out, not even bothering to say hello. “I have a problem.”

“Woah girl, chill out! I just got out of the shower.” She could almost see Alya rolling her eyes. “What’s up?”

Marinette took in a deep breath. “Adrien wants to help me with physics but I’m not sure if I want him to and I don’t even know why in the  _ world _ he’d want to help, I mean, why the heck would he want to help Ladybug?! And he was being all nice and sweet about it and he even sent me a picture of his cat—who’s  _ really _ cute, by the way—and I just. Can’t. Deal with it! Why does he have to be so amazing?!”

“Could you repeat everything you said in the last thirty seconds?” Alya’s voice seemed to be filled with amusement. “I didn’t quite catch that.”

“Alya! He wants to  _ tutor _ me! In  _ physics!” _

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No! No, it’s not!” Marinette scowled. “This is bad. Really, really bad. What if I end up falling for him?”

“Marinette.”

“What if  _ he _ ends up falling for me? Well, gamer me, but still me!”

_ “Marinette.” _

“And then if  _ that  _ happened, then I surely wouldn’t be able to resist and all my dreams of being a designer would go to waste, and then I’d never—”

“Marinette!”

She instantly fell out of her spiral. “Yeah?”

Alya sighed. “Girl, stop overthinking. You need help with physics, right? And he offered his help. So what’re you waiting for?”

“I don’t know,” Marinette admitted. “It makes sense, but I don’t want to bother him.”

“I thought you said he didn’t mind.”

“He doesn’t! But I still feel guilty about it. And I haven’t even given him my real name.”

“Didn’t you say Nino told you that he talked to him about that?” Alya asked.

“Yeah, apparently,” Marinette said. “It just. . . . feels like l’m taking advantage of Adrien’s kindness.”

On the other line, Alya paused, thinking. There was silence between them for a few seconds before her best friend said, “if he’s offering his help, that’s not taking advantage of his kindness, Mari. And besides, you could always do something for him in return.”

“That’s true,” Marinette said with a frown. She hadn’t thought about it in that way before. “But I still think I’m going to think about it for a bit. Thanks, Alya.”

“Anytime, girl,” Alya said. “I’m telling you though, you’re not going to get an opportunity like this. Go text him and take him up on the offer before it’s too late.”

“I’ll think about it,” Marinette said. She had no intention of making any promises.

“You do you, then. Talk to you later?”

“Yeah. See you later, Alya.”

“You too, Mari.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 7/6 EDIT: No, I haven't abandoned this! I'll come back to this when I can, but atm I'm doing Ladynoir July, so it'll be a while. I do plan to finish this, though :)


End file.
